Simon’s Guide to Gambling in the Central African Republic

Central African Republic is, as the name suggests, situated in Central Africa, and is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country had been ruled by autocratic leaders until 1993, and though it is now a democratic republic, coups and unrest are still prevalent.

While the Central African Republic has no well-known casinos or gaming houses, gambling is regulated in the country. The penal code of the Central African Republic states that operating unauthorised gambling establishments or lotteries is illegal, and punishable by imprisonment for 5 years and a fine of up to 5 000 000 Central African Francs (about $8500).*

Online gambling is not mentioned in the regulation, likely due to the fact that it is not prevalent enough to warrant regulation. Very few Central Africans have access to the internet at all, with an internet penetration rate of less than 5%. The penal code makes no mention of punishment for individual players, and it could also be argued that online gambling sites do not constitute gaming houses. Those who participate in online gambling in the Central African Republic can do so without any repercussions.

Casino gambling in the Central African Republic

Online casino gambling in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Operating unlicensed gambling houses in the Central African Republic is illegal and punishable under the country’s penal code. There are no reports on how many authorised gambling establishments exist in the country, if any. The Central African government does have some revenue from licensed gambling, so most likely there are some parlours where casino games and slot machines are available.*

Online casino gambling is not regulated by Central African laws. There are no online casino sites based in the Central African Republic, but locals with access to the internet may play on many international casino gambling sites. There are no online gambling sites available in Sango, the language spoken by most of the residents, but the country’s other national language is French, which most sites are available in.

Bingo in the Central African Republic

Online bingo in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Bingo is not specifically regulated by Central African laws. It is likely, that bingo falls into the category of games that may not be legally operated without a license. Bingo is relatively unknown in most of Africa, so it is safe to assume that there are no bingo halls in the Central African Republic.

Online bingo is also unregulated, and there are no online bingo sites based in the Central African Republic. Central Africans who wish to try their hand at bingo may do so at many of the international online bingo sites.

Poker in the Central African Republic

Online poker in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Poker is not specifically mentioned in the Central African gambling regulation. Live poker games may only be run legally at authorised gaming houses, but there is no word on whether there are any poker games available within the country. Poker has no tradition in Africa, so it is not as popular.

Online poker is, as all forms of online gambling unregulated in the Central African Republic, so naturally there are no online poker sites based in the country. Central African players may try their luck and skill at international poker sites, many of which are available in French.

Sports betting in the Central African Republic

Online sports betting in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Sports betting is not specifically regulated by Central African laws. There is likely some betting going on on various events such as bird fighting, but no organised sports betting company exists.

Online sports betting is also wholly unregulated in the Central African Republic, and there are no online sports betting sites based in the country. Foreign sports betting sites are available for those who have access to the internet.

Lottery in the Central African Republic

Online lottery in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Lottery is legal in the Central African Republic, and operating unauthorised lotteries is punishable by a monetary fee and imprisonment. It is also forbidden to sell lottery tickets in the streets without authorisation. It is not known, however, whether there are any authorised lotteries within the country.

It is unclear, whether the penal code of the Central African Republic bans unauthorised online lotteries as well as brick and mortar ones. There are certainly no online lotteries licensed within the country. However, even if the gambling regulation is meant to include online lotteries, the Central African government does not have the resources to find and prosecute individual players for participating in online lottery draws.

Bitcoin gambling in the Central African Republic

Bitcoin gambling in the Central African Republic: unregulated

Bitcoin gambling is not regulated by the gambling laws of the Central African Republic. The Central African government has made no statement accepting nor banning the cryptocurrency. Though Bitcoin has been gaining in popularity in several African countries, it is still virtually unknown in the Central African Republic.

Central Africans who wish to partake in bitcoin gambling are not likely to face any legal difficulties. While the Central African penal code prohibits the operation of unauthorised gaming houses, there are no laws to criminalise gambling itself.

Find out more about the legal status of gambling and online gambling in the Central African Republic. Find out if there are any casinos, online casinos, bingo halls, bookmakers, poker rooms or Bitcoin casinos in the Central African Republic.